Lions Fans Enjoying 'Greatest Season Ever'

The national media had much to say after Detroit's Week 14 win.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks on at the end of first quarter against Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard that the Detroit Lions defeated the Green Bay Packers Thursday night for their biggest win of the season yet. With the victory, Detroit extended its franchise-best winning streak to 11 games, and strengthened its grip on the NFC North division. 

The Lions, sitting at 12-1, now lead the Packers (9-4) by three games and the second-place Minnesota Vikings (10-2) by a game and a half.

In the aftermath of the Week 14 divisional clash, both local and national media pundits had much to say, especially about Detroit head coach Dan Campbell’s fourth-down aggressiveness. The Lions ended up going for it on fourth down five times, and converted four of the tries.   

Without further ado, let’s take a look at what the national media said after the victory for Campbell’s squad.

Former Lions receiver Calvin Johnson on Kay Adams’ “Up & Adams” show

“How many guys are down, I don’t how many guys are on injured reserve, key players. But, the fact is they keep bringing in guys, obviously, I heard you mention, we’ve got like the 2017 Pro Bowl squad out here. We really do, but these guys want to be here, they want to play for this squad. And, that’s what you gotta have. You’ve got to have guys that have the ‘want-to.’ And, we have guys that have the want-to. And, they’re making plays, guys that you haven’t heard of, they’re making plays. They want to be on this squad, they want to make a name for themself, they want to be part of something special.”

I had the BEST time with Lions HOF’er CALVIN JOHNSON today. Great insight especially on the DB’s & Campbell.

Lions fans, enjoy. What a time. @calvinjohnsonjr #lionspride pic.twitter.com/5Upn2UDXPC

— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) December 6, 2024

Pat McAfee on “The Pat McAfee Show”

“Damn, it is awesome to be a Detroit Lions fan. The way they go about winning, the way they understand their situation. Whenever you hear ‘MCDC’ (Dan Campbell) talk after the game about the defense and how he knew what the offense was going to have to do, but he understood the situation and the reality of the injuries on the defensive side. The way Aaron Glenn cooked up pressure on Jordan Love, the way they just went about winning that game.” 

McAfee added, “MCDC has them all going in the same exact direction. They all believe in every single decision that he makes. And although I don’t know if they’re going to be able to win all the games that they have to playing the way they did last night, especially against a Packers team that could’ve beat them a couple different times. But, the Detroit Lions win football games. It feels like they knew this is how they were going to have to win this one.”

It has to be AWESOME to be a Detroit Lions fan right now..

MCDC is always gonna do what he does and that Lions team believes in EVERY decision that he makes #PMSLive #OnePride pic.twitter.com/7XmS5T2Kyw

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 6, 2024

Rich Eisen on “The Rich Eisen Show”

“The greatest Lions season ever is unfolding right now, greatest Lions season in the history of the Detroit Lions is unfolding right now. And, I’m just like one of those movies, looking through my fingers at the future, at a moment in a win-or-go-home game where there’s a fourth-down decision and they’re going to go for it. And, the whole football world is going to be on pins and needles. It’s going to happen, you know it. I know it, the football fans know it, everybody knows it.”

Colin Cowherd on “The Herd”

“They lead the NFL in fourth-down attempts and fourth-down conversions, and you feel great this morning. But, that’s not who you are anymore. It’s like when you’re young, put your money in Bitcoin. But, when you’re old, put it in bonds. It’s a different life. The runway now, players are now in their prime, they’re going to get very, very expensive. You’re going to have to move off them. You’re playing consistently with leads. In my lifetime, I don’t ever remember a team winning the Super Bowl that had the all-season label of man, they are risky. New England wasn’t, Kansas City isn’t, Buffalo isn’t. That’s not what wins championships.”

Tony Kornheiser on ESPN’s “Pardon The Interruption”

"Mike (Wilbon), I hate the term ‘culture.’ But, I have to concede that Dan Campbell has built a winning culture in Detroit, and I find myself rooting for them now. I said yesterday that I thought the Lions would win, and I didn’t think it was going to be this close. I didn’t think it would be three points at the end of a game. But, Mike, to me, it felt like a convincing victory because of the way they responded to their coach, up and down the line. And, I like them.”